Many conventional lighting fixtures are not adjustable. Extreme manipulation of those non-adjustable lighting fixtures is required to install the lighting fixture in an environment that does not provide much free space, such as is prevalent when installing lighting fixtures in a ceiling grid. The installer must be very careful when manipulating the non-adjustable lighting fixture to ensure the lighting fixture is not damaged during the installation process. Furthermore, such manipulation slows down the installation process, as well as making installation of the lighting fixture difficult and inefficient. Thus, a need exists for a lighting fixture that is adjustable such that it may be easily installed in a compact position and then extended to an installation position, thereby providing a quick and efficient installation procedure.
Moreover, non-adjustable lighting fixtures require large and bulky shipping packages, which increases the costs associated with the lighting fixtures. Thus, a need exists for a lighting fixture that is adjustable such that the size of the lighting fixture may be reduced to provide a smaller and more compact shipping package.
Some exiting lighting fixtures are adjustable. However, one problem with the existing adjustable lighting fixtures is that the lighting fixture is adjustable in the direction of the length of the lamp. Therefore, the lamps cannot be installed in the lighting fixture unless the lighting fixture is in the extended position. This requires multiple steps to fully install such a conventional lighting fixture. The installer must first install the lighting fixture when it is in the compact position without a lamp in place. Once the lighting fixture is installed in its fully extended position, lamps may then be installed in the lighting fixture. Thus, a need exists for an adjustable lighting fixture that is adjustable with the lamps installed to provide a quick and efficient installation process.
Examples of conventional adjustable lighting fixtures include U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,023 to Guth, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,338 To Kripp; U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,402 to Weiss; U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,019 to Mulvey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,554 to Woloski et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,178 to Lee, Jr.; the subject matter of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A need exists for an improved adjustable lighting fixture.